Please Be Mine
by JBOller
Summary: Derek's tired of watching all of Casey's guys come and go. He wants her himself. But will she be that easy to get? Dasey! I do NOT own Life with Derek or any of the characters! Rating may change.
1. They Come and Go

Once again, I don't own Life with Derek!

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Please Be Mine (Derek Pov)

_They come and go_

He watches her date yet ANOTHER guy. It's torture to watch her around him. Smiling at his jokes, flirting, giggling. He really wants to punch the guy in the face. Especially when he sees her lean in to kiss him. He clenches his fists in agony and rage, and his nails dig into the recovering cuts and bruises from seeing her kiss the last guy. He doesn't flinch; he's so used to the pain. His hand is probably bleeding now, but he doesn't care. All he cares about is her lips touching this guy's, and how enthusiastic his response is. He's careful to keep a passive look on his face. He can't give it away. No one can know. He's been in love with her for years, and no one's figured it out, yet. Well, except for Sam and Marti. But they knew from the second he looked at her.

He slowly unclenches his fist and realizes that if he stays and watches, his hand will be a complete mess and he has no explanation for its bleeding. He watches a little longer, and right before he turns to walk away, she looks over at him. Her smile changes to a grin as she makes eye contact. His turn wavers, and he tries to smile back. If she only knew the effect her eyes in themselves had on him. He loses his balance, and falls to the ground. Damn those eyes of hers. Now, what's he supposed to do?

He opens his eyes, and he's looking at the ground. His palms are on the concrete, and he realizes that this could be his excuse for his hands bleeding. This might also be the strangest fall he's ever had, since his head and chest are facing the pavement, and his legs are twisted sideways. Mental note: Never fall while turning. It's a very awkward and painful position to fall in.

By now, Casey is over at his side. She's saying his name over and over again in a fairly loud voice. Her tone is laced with worry and maybe a little laughter in them. He always knew she enjoyed his pain. Maybe not a lot, but deep down inside, a part of her enjoyed when he did something stupid. It showed that he could be as much of a klutz as she was. She's touching his shoulder and trying to turn him over. He groans as she is making a much bigger deal of it then it is. Then again, there are red stains under his palms on the pavement, and as smart as she is, it doesn't take a scientist to realize that his hands are, in fact, bleeding.

He helps her turn him sideways and looks into her worried eyes. She grabs his hands and examines each one carefully. She has this perplexed look on her face that is so adorable, that he almost wants to laugh. But he holds it back, and continues to watch as she looks at his hands.

She looks at him and gives a small laugh. 'I guess, I'm not the only Klutzilla around,' she says and then gives a little smirk. He chuckles, and she looks as him as if he's grown another head. By now, he ordinarily would have had a witty comeback. Instead he's laughing at her. He knew he had lost his mind. He searches through his comebacks, but can't seem to function as she is still looking at him and holdings his hands in hers. Sparks are shooting up and down through his hands and arms, and he can't seem to be able to do anything, but lay there and look at her.

'C'mon,' she says. 'We should probably get these hands patched up. They're going to get infected if we don't wash them soon.' He rolls his eyes and snorts. Yeah, Case. I'm gonna die here and now, he thinks. Then, as she helps pull him off the ground, he sees that her date is standing there still, and he almost wishes that he had died. There was no way that he could die of cutting his hands and not cleaning them in his mind, but as he saw her date look at her and smile, he had never wished more in his life to be dead. He had had a good moment with Casey, and it would've been one of his favorites if it had only ended before he saw her date again. He could then imagine a more fit scenario of her running over to help him up and kissing him senseless. She would say that she never should've dated any other guys, because he was the one for her and she knew it all along. It was of course, in his imagination, and it wouldn't be likely that his tripping over himself would bring her to her senses, but he could **try,** at least, to pretend that she would realize that he was the one.

She smiles back at the guy, Truman, and says, 'I'm gonna take him home and get him cleaned up. You understand, right?' She looks at him hopefully as she scans his face to measure his reaction. He looks a little annoyed at the fact that she was ditching him to help her poor step-brother with cut hands, but he nodded and said he would call her later. She smiles with relief, and gives Truman a quick peck on the cheek. He cringes, and turns sideways as if he's looking around so she doesn't see his reaction. He has a feeling Truman saw it, though, and is careful to not look back as Casey grabs his arm and walks him over to the car. She opens the door for him, either out of consideration, pity, or the fact that she doesn't want blood on the handle of her car. He hates feeling like he can't do anything for himself, but kind of enjoys Casey taking care of him.

She shuts the car door after he gets in, and walks over to the driver's seat.

This would definitely be an interesting drive.

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Alright, this is my first fanfiction! There should be more chapters since this is only the first line of the song. But please comment and tell me what you think.

P.S. I didn't mean to do an angsty Dasey! I just typed, and that's what happened. I'll find a song to inspire a fluffy one, though. : )


	2. But They Don't Know

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Please Be Mine

_But they don't know_

_That you are my beautiful_

He was starting to get annoyed. Casey was looking over at him every few minutes. She kept telling him to watch where he put his hands. It's not like he was going to set his bloody hands all over her car. He liked to tease her, but he didn't want her to have a heart attack.

He ignored her constant jabbering about how he should be more careful and he could get seriously hurt next time, and thought back to the times when he wasn't a tool. When he had all kinds of pride and could get any girl he wanted. The latter was still true, but they didn't matter anymore. They weren't Casey. All other girls seemed dull now. Bland. They weren't as high-strung, and feisty as Casey. They didn't have her eyes that shimmered with passion when she got angry with him. They weren't a challenge.

Sure, Sally was close. Heck, she could've been the blonde version of Casey. Which is really the only reason their relationship lasted as long as it did, now that he thinks about it. Not to mention Casey's help in the whole thing to keep it going. Everything had to do with Casey.

Even Emily. She was Casey's best friend, and he had really hoped there was something there. She was a sweet girl, and he really did care for her. But they didn't have that spark that he was looking for. The one that flowed between him and Casey every time they got in to each other's faces. The one that he could feel the second they locked eyes. He wished that he had connected on that level with Emily, but he just didn't.

He was glad that Sheldon had moved back, though. He was there to help pick up the pieces when he had to call things off. Now, Emily was back with someone who really deserved her.

He looked over, and realized that Casey was staring at him. They were at a red light, and he guessed that she finally realized he was paying no attention whatsoever to her little speech.

"Derek, what is with you? I'm trying to help you and you are completely tuning me out." She seethed, "I ended my date with Truman so that I could take you home, and you don't even show the LEAST bit of consideration by listening to me."

He held eye contact and leaned closer. "Case, we both know I did you a favor. Truman's a jerk, and when he hurts you, you'll come crying to me. And we both know that Derek Venturi does not do tears."

By this time, they were only a few inches apart. She looked confused and flustered with this new information. Who knew Derek cared?

"Derek, Truman is not a jerk. He's a bit of a flirt at times, and sure he can be annoying, but I can handle him. He really is a sweet guy, deep down inside. He won't hurt me. He's a good guy. Really." She seemed to waver in that last statement.

He moved in a little closer. He could clearly smell her perfume, and it was becoming a bit hard to think, again. "I believe you, Case. But do you?"

She was extremely upset now. Her face was turning red, and her breaths were coming in small puffs. She looked torn. She probably was searching for anyway to defy him and prove him wrong. Her mouth kept opening, and closing. Similar to his goldfish that he had in the fourth grade. Of course, she was much cuter than that and much more entertaining.

He took this chance to lean in even closer. He was less than a centimeter away from her mouth now. "Hey Space Case," he said huskily. "Breathe."

She sucked in a deep breath, and right when he was about to close the little space left between them, they heard honking and yelling. They pulled away quickly and he realized that the light had apparently been green for some time now, and was turning yellow.

Casey, now more flustered than ever, pushed on the gas pedal and sped through the light right before it turned red. He looked back, and noticed people were sticking their hands out windows and making other obscene gestures toward them. He chuckled.

The game had just begun, in his mind. She was his. Sure, Truman may not know it. Heck, he doubted Casey really knew it. But he did. And it would only be a matter of time before she knew it too.

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I was struggling in writing this one. But hopefully, it was worth it. Tell me what you think. Review! :)

Remember, this is my first fanfic. So be gentle.


	3. I Try to Come Closer with You

Please Be Mine (Derek Pov)

Chapter 3

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_I try to come closer with you_

He didn't know if it was more of the fact that Casey was too busy fighting with herself, or if she was trying to figure out what had just happened, but she was silent for the rest of the car ride.

He watched her while she drove; carefully, but with determination and purpose. Almost as if she was on a mission.

She was obviously still upset. She slammed on the breaks every time there was a stop sign or a red light and her turns were not as gentle as he would've liked.

She still looked frustrated as she pulled in to the driveway. Although, her anger seemed to have dissipated a little, he didn't want to take any chances.

"Let's go, Case," he said as soon as she had put the car in park. He was trying to open the door with his elbow, determined not to have this talk with her.

Unfortunately, instead of getting out and opening the door for him, she pushed the lock button. This was not good…..

"Case, I'm bleeding here. Remember? Infection? Let's go."

"Not so fast, Derek. We need to have a talk."

No, no, no. He was NOT ready for this. He had to find a way out of this car, NOW. Maybe if he played the sympathy card. "Casey, please not right now. My hands really hurt, and I could've died today! I need to get my hands cleaned. Besides, I didn't get any blood on your dear car, even with all of your jerking around." Oops…..

"I wouldn't have been JERKING around if SOMEONE hadn't made me so perturbed!"

He snorted. Even when she was mad, she still used words like perturbed.

At this rate, he was never going to get out of the car. He would die in the driveway, here and now. Hmm….. wonder who all would come to the funeral. What would be on his gravestone? 'Here lies Derek. If only Casey had taken him inside sooner so that he could've washed his hands……' No. That's too long.

"Look, Casey. All I did was state the facts. It's not that hard of a concept to get. Truman's a jerk. No one in their right mind should date him, and I'm just trying to save you and me both a lot of trouble by telling you what's going to happen."

Please, let that be the only thing she was talking about. If God loved him at all, she would be her normal, oblivious self.

"Derek, you don't even know Truman. How would you know if he was a jerk?"

He sighed. She HAD to be difficult about this. "Case, I don't have to actually know Truman. I know guys like him. None of them are any good, alright?"

"You would know…" She mumbled.

"What did you just say?" She did not just compare him to Truman.

"Derek, you and Truman both act the same towards women. You have no right to be so judgmental of him for acting the way you do. That's very condescending of you."

He tried to steady himself. She doesn't mean what she's saying. She's just striking back at him for having insulted her boyfriend.

But it was too late to convince himself of this fact. He was already mad. Fury was building up inside him, and he'd be lucky not to completely go off on her.

"You have NO idea WHAT you are talking about, Casey. You are walking in to dangerous territory. Back off now, before you regret it."

But, of course, she had to be stubborn. "No, Derek. I will NOT back off. You get away with everything, and I'm not going to let this go."

He let his head fall back in an effort to control himself. He felt as if steam was coming out of his ears. She had no right to tell him how he acted towards women.

"Casey. I'm serious. Stop."

She leaned forward, and stared him down. "Make me."

He didn't know what he wanted to do more, yell at her or kiss her. He really wanted to punch something right now, and out of rage he did, forgetting the fact that his hands were bleeding. He hit the dashboard of her car and the car shook as he cried out in pain.

"Damnit, Casey! You have NO clue how I treat girls. I, unlike you're PRECIOUS TRUMAN," he growled, as pure venom came out in his voice," treat girls with respect. I've seen him with other girls since you two have been 'dating', if that's even what you can really call it. It's really more of just a set up, so that he can get some action, but you don't see that. You don't see the fact that when he smells like other girls' perfume, it means he's been with one other than you. NEWSFLASH, Case. Lipstick on the cheek? NOT from his mom. I don't care HOW many times he tells you that bogus story about how close their relationship is. It's crap! Either you're COMPLETELY oblivious or just plain stupid."

He took a ragged, breath. He couldn't tell if he was hurting her or scaring her, but it was too late to stop now.

"I NEVER cheated on anyone, Case. NEVER! And I sure as HELL wouldn't do that to someone like you. NO ONE deserves that Casey! ESPECIALLY not you!"

He looked up to meet her eyes for this part. He didn't know what she would think of what all he had to say, but he needed to see her expression for this and she needed to see his. She had to know this.

"I know that the truth is hard to hear, but DAMNIT, Case! Someone had to tell it to you. Unlike, Emily or Nora, I won't let you tell yourself that he's being faithful. I really don't want to see you get hurt, Case. I know I pull pranks on you all the time, but I don't like to see you heartbroken, crying over another loser who didn't treat you right."

She was crying now. Tears were streaming down her face, and he instantly regretted everything. The whole point was to KEEP her from crying.

"Casey, I…."

All of the sudden, she leaned over and pulled him in to a hug.

Okay, now he was confused.

She held him there for a few moments, and then pulled back.

She reached over and unlocked his car door.

She then proceeded to get out, and walked over to his side. She opened his car door, and helped to pull him out of the car, seeing as how he had gone in to a complete state of shock.

She walked him up to the door, and as she got out her keys, she turned to look at him once more.

She gave him a small, teary-eyed smile and whispered quietly. "Thank you."

This was one of the first times she had ever given him a sincere smile.

Then she unlocked the door, turned around to face him, and once again, gently grabbed him by the arm to pull him throughout the house. He wasn't really paying attention to anything she was doing, as he was still trying to figure out what had just happened.

He had just been a complete jerk to her, completely losing his cool and going off on her, and instead of being upset…… she THANKED him. AND gave him a hug!

He shook his head back and forth, and came back to reality.

He was now in the upstairs bathroom. Casey had gently pushed him on to the toilet seat (Thank God, the lid was down!) and was now looking through each product in the cabinet, thoroughly reading every bit of information given on each bottle.

He didn't understand why she was making such a big fuss over him. His hands were barely cut.

He looked down at his open hands and realized that they were much worse than he had thought. When he fell on the concrete, he had deepened the wounds on his hands. Now, instead of little cuts, he had long, deep gashes covering most of his palms.

Casey turned around. She had a handful of bottles, along with gauze, cotton balls, and wraps.

"Let me see your hands." She was opening one of the bottles, and pouring the liquid on the cotton balls in her hand.

"Whoa, Whoa, Whoa. What is that?" There was no way he was letting her put stuff on his hands when he didn't know what it was.

"It's alcohol, Derek," she said, continuing on with her work.

"Trying to get me drunk, Case?"

She rolled her eyes at his lame attempt at a joke and sighed. "No, Derek. It's rubbing alcohol. It cleans wounds."

He tried to close his hands, and flinched. "Nuh-uh! You are NOT touching me with that stuff. That stings!"

"Derek, your wounds need to be cleaned," she tried to rationalize. "Besides, I thought you were a man. Can't a man handle a little pain?" she teased.

He had to think of an escape route. There must be some way out. Why did the bathroom have to be so small?

"I changed my mind. I guess, I'm not a man. Thanks a lot for your help, Case!"

He jumped up off the seat and began to head towards the door, but Casey had been one step ahead.

She was in front of him, trapping him between her and the toilet seat. She was only inches away from his face. Her eyes were staring him down, and he swore under his breath.

"Give me your hands, Derek. I don't want you dying over something as stupid as not sanitizing your hands."

He realized that he didn't really have a way out and weakened. He tried a last attempt at freedom by sliding around the edge of the toilet seat, hoping to get around Casey, but he knew it was a long shot. All Casey had to do was follow him, and she did. He finally sat down and held out his hands. She got on her knees and grabbed his left hand, a little above his wrist. She gently started dabbing his wounds with the alcohol covered cotton balls. He winced at the pain. He hoped she hadn't seen him, but being Casey, she had.

"I should probably say this now, since this is the only time I know you have to listen. Thank you for telling me the truth. I really appreciate it."

She looked up in to his eyes and gently blew on his wounds on his left hands, trying to ease his pain from the alcohol. It was a mixture of pleasure and pain, and it was really hot. He looked up at the bathroom ceiling. The feeling was bittersweet. Yes, what she was doing was hot, but she had no idea how it was affecting him.

He forced himself to think about anything else but her. Hockey, Smarti, puppies……After a while, he looked back down at her. She had continued on with the process of cleaning his hands, going through the same steps, and then blowing on each gash. She was now on his right hand.

He never said anything back, and he figured she hadn't expected him to.

She had finished cleaning his hands, and was now in the process of wrapping them, when he finally spoke up.

"Why did you decide to date Truman?"

She looked startled at the fact that he had spoken, and dropped the wrap. She quickly grabbed it and continued. She responded, "I don't know. He really seemed to like me, and I guess I just thought that he would be different. That this relationship would be different. It was stupid, I know. Oh, well."

She finished fixing up his hands, and sighed. "There," she said. "All better."

She looked up at him again and smiled. He didn't know what to think of her behavior.

"Why are you being so nice to me? You hate me, remember?"

She looked at him curiously. "I don't hate you, Derek. I thought that fighting and teasing each other was just our thing. In a weird way, I always thought we were…. friends. Besides, what else are step-sisters for, right?"

He stopped himself from grimacing, and stood up. "Well, thanks for the help Case, but I can take care of myself. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a hockey game to watch."

He walked toward the door, and tried to open it. His hands were just as helpful then, than they were before she had wrapped them. After a few pathetic tries, he turned and looked at Casey. "Okay, maybe I could use a _little_ help with door handles," he said grudgingly.

She laughed, stood up, and walked to the door. She opened it, and muttered under her breath, "Same old Derek."

He walked through. He may be the same old Derek, but this Derek had also gotten one step closer to Casey today.

That was when he looked down and saw a certain little brother lying on the ground right in front of the bathroom door. Wonder what he had been doing?

He walked out just in time to see Lizzie trip over him.

Oh, THIS would be fun.

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I'm sorry I took so long! I was busy over the break, and then I edited this chapter many times! So, tell me what you think! Should I write more? Should I give up now? Your opinion counts. So click the review button please. :)


	4. But They All Say We Won't Make It

Please Be Mine (Edwin Pov)

Chapter 4

By the way, in case I haven't said it already, I do not own the song, Please Be Mine or the Jonas Brothers. This whole story is inspired from that song though. :)

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_But they all say we won't make it through_

Derek might have originally thought he and Casey were the only ones home, but he was wrong.

Edwin had been at Teddy's house, and he was exhausted. Spending a whole afternoon with Teddy could really wear a guy out. He walked in the front door and plopped himself on to the couch.

Maybe he would just relax here for a while……. On second thought, his bed was much more comfortable. He groaned and sat up. It was amazing how old he could feel at times. He started on his way to his room, when he heard some noise coming from the bathroom.

Then he heard Casey patronizing somebody. It didn't take a genius to figure out who she was talking to. It had to be Derek.

His curiosity peaked. What were Casey and Derek doing in the bathroom? His spy skills kicked in. He put his body against the wall and slinked toward the bathroom door. He listened and heard nothing. What's a spy to do when the door is closed and no one's talking? Easy. Peak underneath the door. (Hey! Desperate times call for desperate measures! They could be trapped in there! He may be the only one who can save them!)

He was lowering himself to the floor, when his breath caught. Someone else was home. The front door had opened and shut, and the culprit was now whistling.

He really hoped it wasn't his dad or Nora, because they had told him repeatedly to mind his own business. And Marti wasn't very quiet, so he would get busted easily. His best bet was Lizzie. She would help him, and she was good at eaves-dropping.

He froze in place and waited as he heard the footsteps coming up the stairs. He knew freezing in place while he was scared was not a good quality for a spy, but he was only

14! He had plenty of time to get over it!

The person was now up the stairs and walking toward him. He sighed. It was Lizzie. She wasn't paying attention. She had her I-pod on, and was listening to it from what sounded like, full-blast. She was dancing around, and Edwin was entranced by it. She had definitely become a better dancer over the years. She danced now with grace, but with a little funk added in. He continued to watch her, and was more than a little surprised when she tripped over him. She landed with an 'oomph'.

This was a little awkward. Her legs were tangled up with his, and she was cursing under her breath, while trying to untangle herself from him. However, her attempts were futile.

She pushed herself off the ground, and turned toward him. "Edwin, why didn't you let me know you were there? And WHAT are you doing?"

"Yeah, Ed. What ARE you doing?" Oh crap……. That voice was a little too familiar. While he had been paying attention to Lizzie, he hadn't noticed the footsteps walking towards the bathroom door. Casey had opened the door for Derek and was stepping out when Lizzie had tripped over him. Now, both Casey and Derek were looking at him as if he was crazy. Great.

"Heeyyy, Bro. Um…. I was just uh….. checking the floor. I thought one of the boards was loose, and I just wanted to make sure the ground was safe enough for my dearest brother, sister, and step-sisters to walk on."

He knew he wouldn't buy it. But at least he had thought of something. And something was better than nothing.

"Uh-huh. Sure Ed."

Then he noticed Derek's hands. They were wrapped up in what looked like layers of gauze and bandages. He could barely even see the outline of Derek's fingers.

"Derek! What'd you do?" he said as he got up from the ground.

Derek followed his gaze, and his eyes widened.

This question had apparently thrown him off. He decided to take advantage of the situation, and he slowly but surely was taking steps backwards towards his bedroom door.

Derek recovered, and said, "I fell." He shrugged, "What do you care?"

He was acting very nonchalant, which was weird for Derek. Usually he would have some awesome, but totally made-up story, about how he fell off a motorcycle while trying to pop a wheelie, or something.

"No reason. You just look kinda banged up."

Derek just rolled his eyes and said, "Well, it's really none of your business, is it? Now if you'll excuse me, I was on my way to watch a hockey game before you started being weird."

He swaggered off, heading towards the stairwell.

Now it was just him, Casey, and Lizzie.

"Casey, are you okay," Lizzie questioned. "You look like you've been crying! Did Derek do something again?" She looked worried. Her eyebrows were knitted together, and she watched Casey with concern. It was cute….. not that he thought that in anything but a step-brotherly way, of course.

Casey smiled lightly. "Well, I was crying because of something Derek did, but it wasn't anything bad. He actually helped me."

THAT was new. What was going ON here?

"CASEY!!!!" Derek screamed her name from downstairs. "The remote isn't working!"

Casey rolled her eyes. "I'm not your slave, Derek. You could say please." She sighed and headed down the stairs.

Lizzie looked perplexed. Obviously she didn't know what was going on either.

"Conference?"

She nodded.

They headed to the games closet. They really were going to have to get a new hideout. They were both getting too big for such a small space. Now, there was only a foot or so between them, and if they moved, a game would fall, and more often than not, hit him or Lizzie.

He opened the door for her, and they both went in.

He loved this part. Their ideas bounced off one another and … they just flowed. It was almost as if they could read the other's mind, they worked so well together. They were such a good team.

"Okay, so here's what we know. Derek got hurt somehow."

"And he didn't want to say how."

"His hands were obviously wrapped up by Casey, because they are completely over-done."

"That's probably what they were doing in the bathroom for so long."

"It also sounded like she was lecturing him when I first came up the stairs."

"Probably for whatever he did to get hurt."

"And then they were really quiet for a long time."

"Right," Lizzie nodded. "And now Casey's willing to help Derek. Even though he's bossing her around."

"So….. What's this mean? Casey and Derek are…. friends?"

"Well, obviously something is going on here. Something BIG had to've happened if Casey's willing to be nice to Derek."

"Definitely. Now it's time for detectives Edwin Venturi and Lizzie McDonald to find out what."

He held his hand out for a high-five, and she hit her hand against his. There wasn't supposed to be a spark when their hands touched. He wasn't supposed to feel the electricity coursing through his veins. But he did. And that bothered him…. **a lot**.

She grinned at him. "But, do you think we could just enjoy it right now? I mean, obviously we'll still investigate, but Derek and Casey being…. whatever they are, obviously can't last for long."

Then they heard Casey screech from downstairs, "DER-EK!"

Her face fell and she sighed. "Never mind." She perked up and whispered, "Let the snooping begin!"

He chuckled, and opened the closet door for her to step out.

_Yep_, he thought. _The snooping had just begun. _

And he had a pretty big feeling that whatever was going on between Derek and Casey wouldn't be the only thing they'd find along the way.

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Sorry this one took as long as it did too! The chapters are probably going to take a longer amount of time to be written and posted though now that school is back in session.

I had trouble writing this chapter too, but it was fun! Who cares what I think though? It's all based on your opinions!

So, tell me what you think! Did you like it? Did you hate it? Just click that review button and let me know. :)


	5. But I'll Be There Forever

Please Be Mine (Derek Pov)

Chapter 5

P.S. Sorry for spelling Lizzie's last name wrong in the last chapter!

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_But I'll be there forever_

Things had been pretty weird around the MacDonald-Venturi house lately. Edwin and Lizzie were walking around the house, looking very shifty-eyed and he was getting sick of it. Every time he would walk in to a room, he would feel two pairs of eyes watching his every move. And if he left the room, one, usually Ed, would follow him out of the room, at a distance to see what he was doing. It was entertaining at first, to watch them think they were being sneaky, and that he had no idea what was going on. But, let's face it. HE had written the book on spying, and NO ONE could be sneakier than him. At this point, their "sneakiness" was just plain annoying.

He didn't know why they were following him around, but it wasn't just him. They had been following Casey around too, only Casey had been too oblivious to notice…. at least for the first day or so. Once she realized that Lizzie HAPPENED to finish all of her meals at the exact same time she did, go upstairs when she went upstairs, AND brush her teeth at the time she brushed her teeth, she knew something was going on. Now, she was being careful about everything she did. She would tip-toe around the house, hoping to get some privacy. She hadn't even fought with him lately, afraid it would cause too much noise, and she would be found.

Right now, he didn't know where she was. She was probably out, trying to break-up with Truman. She had tried repeatedly to break-up with him throughout the week, but things never seemed to add up right. She finally told him to meet her at Smelly Nellie's so that she could set things straight. He couldn't say he wasn't happy that she was finally dumping the loser, but he sure wouldn't let her know that. He had gone right back to being his normal self. But she wouldn't let go of what had happened. Any time he said something mean, she wouldn't get upset. She might glare, or roll her eyes, but then she would give him a look. An 'I-know-you're-just-saying-this-to-provoke-me,-but-you-really-care-about-me' look. And that was driving him mad too.

So now, he was trying to lose himself in the hockey game on TV. He could always forget about all his problems when he watched hockey. His two favorite teams were playing, The Edmonton Oilers and The Maple Leafs, and they were tied, 4-4, in sudden death overtime! He was on the edge of his lazy boy chair. The Oilers had the puck, and they were skiing towards the goal when…

The door opened, and Casey comes in, sniffling, and trying to keep down her obvious crying. He looked over at the door for a second, and he wished he hadn't afterwards. Her face was swollen. She had tear-stricken cheeks and her mascara was running. And, it just so happened that the second he looked back at the TV, the Oilers were already celebrating their win. Great. Watching that game REALLY helped him forget his problems, alright.

He looked back over at the door, but she was already up the stairs, and slamming her door.

Well, this is fun. He sighed, and headed up stairs. What else was he supposed to do? He hated tears, sure. But now, his game was over, and they were the only two home. It's not like he could pretend he hadn't heard her…….. Or maybe he could. He walked over to his door, and welcomed his own room. He laid on his bed and pushed play on his stereo remote. THIS would distract him. He closed his eyes and started to fall asleep when he heard a light knocking at his door.

He decided to ignore it, in another vain attempt to distract himself from his problems, but he heard the door creak open, and a small, watery voice say, "Derek?"

He was about to give up, when he had a better idea. He would pretend to be asleep already. Then she would have to go away, and he wouldn't have to deal with her tears.

She continued to say his name, and he had to admit, he kind of liked the sound of it. She wasn't saying it in a whiny, annoyed tone, like usual. Although, that was kind of cute. But she was saying it gently. Quietly. And in a way, it was nice. For once, she said his name as if it was something good.

When she realized that he was asleep, instead of leaving, she sat on his bed and sighed. This was not in the plan….

"Okay, Derek. I know you're not awake, but I really need someone to talk to right now. Emily's not answering and my mom and Lizzie aren't here, so I figured I'd talk to you. I mean, we've gotten a little closer, and we are friends in a weird way, so I just thought you wouldn't mind and…. Why am I explaining myself to you? You're not even conscious."

He could almost hear her rolling her eyes. "Okay. So, I'm just going to start talking now…… Here I go…. Okay. This is just plain weird. Maybe I should go. I could only imagine your reaction if you woke up right now, and saw me sitting on your bed, in your room, talking to you while you were asleep."

He felt her weight leave the bed, and he heard her walking towards the door. He could hear her turning the handle, when she paused. She was hesitating. He could tell she was fighting herself, and she was getting desperate. She was tapping her shoe on his floor, and he was beginning to feel bad for her. So, for once, he decided he would take pity on her.

He shifted in his bed to look towards the door. He opened his eyes, and looked at her. She was apparently too lost in thought to hear him. He finally mumbled, "Casey?"

Her whole body stiffened. She turned around slowly and looked at him. She had washed her face, and she had stopped crying for the moment, so she was a little easier to look at. She had a look of horror on her face, but she quickly replaced it with a mixed smile.

"Derek….. You're awake."

He sat up and yawned. "Yeah, Case. Way to state the obvious. Why exactly are you in my room?"

She looked even more stunned. She clearly hadn't thought this all the way through.

"I… I just…. I needed….. I wanted to…," she stuttered.

He smirked at her. He said he'd take pity on her, but he didn't say it'd be easy. "You needed to see me? Wanted to watch me sleep? Isn't that a little creepy, Case?"

She blushed and with a little irritation in her voice, replied, "Der-ek! I didn't know you were asleep. I don't even know why I came in here!"

She started to walk off, when he stopped her with, "Casey, wait."

She turned and looked at him.

"You are a horrible liar. I thought I taught you better than that."

Now she was really mad. She was storming towards the door, when he spoke again.

"Hey! Casey! Seriously, what's up? There's gotta be a **really** good reason you're in my room."

She stopped herself. He knew that she really did need someone to talk to, but she couldn't tell if he would take it seriously. She looked at him suspiciously. But he just waited, looking at her expectantly.

She sighed, and made her way back over to sit on his bed.

"Okay. So, I just came back from Smelly Nellie's. You know, to break up with Truman? And it didn't go as well as I'd hoped." She looked at him, still a little cautious, but when he sat there in silence, she sighed, took a deep breath, and went on.

"When he arrived, it wasn't so bad. We smiled; he gave me a hug, a kiss on the cheek…. After we sat down though, it pretty much went downhill from there… I told him that I wanted to end our relationship. I logically made a list, and I went over the reasons in my head."

He rolled his eyes, but she didn't notice and continued.

"We really didn't have much in common. He was looking for a more open relationship than I was, and I just didn't see us working out in the future. He was a little surprised that I was breaking up with him. I told him that I would like to still be friends, but that I really thought it was best for us to end things here. I was very composed, and calm. I don't even know why he got so upset."

He could tell she was starting to get worked up again and he braced himself. He had asked for this as soon as he had "woken up".

"But, he started talking back to me. He said that I was completely right. That I wasn't what he wanted in a girlfriend and he deserved someone better. He said that he needed someone that was willing to go further physically. That I had been fun and all, but I was just some dork. He was only in it for the chase. And once he had me, I wasn't that exciting. He said he was actually disappointed."

She paused. Her breaths were getting shaky and she was fiddling with her hands. She was trying to keep herself under control.

"I didn't want to hear any more, and I got up to leave. I told him that I was right to dump him then, and that I hoped he could find someone more fit for him. But he caught my arm and pulled me back to the table. He didn't look the same anymore. His eyes looked strange, and he was acting mad, in all ways. I tried to shake him off, but his grip only tightened."

She was rubbing her arm, while she talked. There was a red spot in the shape of a hand on her arm, and it looked like it was bruising.

"He told me he wasn't done with me yet. He put down money for his food, and he pulled me away from the table. He took me outside and pushed me against the outside of the building. He started calling me a bitch and a whore. He said that I was lower than dirt, and that no one would ever want me… He raised his hand, almost as if he was going to hit me, but I grabbed it, and with my other hand, pepper-sprayed him."

She chuckled at this point. She was still shaky, but evidently enjoyed this part.

"He let go. Of course, as soon as he did, I kicked him where the sun doesn't exactly shine, and he fell down. I decided that while he was holding himself, in pain, that I would say what I should've said in the first place. I told him he was a two-timing jerk, and that if he ever came near me again, there would be nothing left to kick."

She smiled over at him. He hadn't said anything the entire time she had been talking, and he still didn't know what to say. He was pissed. Who would ever do that to Casey? First, the guy **cheats** on her. Then, he yells at her and tries to **hit** her? Who the HELL did this guy think he was?

She grinned at his speechless-ness, and continued.

"Anyway, I got in my car and drove home. I just don't know if that'll do it, though. I don't know if that's enough to get him to leave me alone."

She looked a little worried, and he finally seemed to find some words that wouldn't give away how mad he was.

"Well, Casey. I honestly didn't know you had it in ya. I gotta say, I'm a little bit impressed."

She smiled at him.

"And….., I think I might just have a plan to make sure that Truman will never come near you, ever again."

Her eyes brightened, and she looked at him. "Really?"

He noticed just then that throughout her story, he had moved closer to hear her. Their knees were now touching, and their faces were somewhat close together.

He nodded, and she launched up to give him a hug. They fell backwards, and she was now on top of him, on the bed, hugging him.

"Derek!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Although it was nice to have this position, and believe that _nice_ was an understatement, he knew he would have to get her off of him. He was too tempted to kiss her, and that couldn't happen yet. They weren't far enough in to his game.

"Whoa, Whoa, Whoa! What are you doing? Get off me!"

She immediately sat up. She was smiling, and now, blushing harder than the first time.

"Sorry! I'm just so glad to have this off my chest and to know that the whole thing will be taken care of! So what's the plan? Can I help?"

"I'm not sure about _that_. It's still a working progress. Buuut… I'll get back to you."

"DER-EK! You are NOT keeping me out of this. I am going to get back at Truman and you are GOING to let me in on the plan."

She had her finger in his face and she was leaning towards him. His head was now against the headboard, and he had officially run out of room. His eyes widened from her closeness.

"Okay! Okay! But it's not going to be easy."

She pulled back and smiled at him. "Good. I don't want an easy get back. I want him to get exactly what he deserves."

"Believe me, MacDonald. He will."

They shared a devious look. Who knew Casey could be so mean?

She got up, now content, and headed towards the door.

He called out to her one more time. "And Casey?"

She turned toward him. "Yeah, Derek?"

"You know….. You know if you ever…." He couldn't seem to finish his statement, but luckily, he didn't have to.

"I know, Derek. You'll always be there for me, when it comes down to it." She smiled and gave him that look again.

He smirked. "Actually, I was going to say, if you ever come in to my room again without me knowing, I will personally make sure everyone knows that you like to sneak in and watch me sleep."

She glared at him, rolled her eyes, and then smiled again. "Whatever, Venturi."

She then turned, and finally walked out.

He laid back in his bed and closed his eyes. She was right. He would always be there for her if she needed him. But she didn't have to know that right now. He needed to focus on his plan, for her and for Truman. He smirked. This was **really** going to be fun.

xoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

So, I wrote this chapter weeks ago, but I didn't know if Truman was too rough with Casey or not. So tell me what you think!

Was it okay? Too violent for your taste? Too little violence? Just right?

Click that review button and let me know! :)


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